Monday Motivation: Old Wisdom to Inspire Innovation

Though the world is always evolving, that which transcends time is true wisdom and inspiration. Here are a few inspirational quotes from those legends who were innovators and leaders in their own right. I think you’ll find that these words are as important (and applicable) today as ever.

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” — Socrates

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try.” — Dr. Seuss

“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” — John Maynard Keynes

“There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.”— Edward de Bono

“Held in the palms of thousands of disgruntled people over the centuries have been ideas worth millions – if they only had taken the first step and then followed through.”— Robert M. Hayes

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”— Joseph Chilton Pierce

“If it’s a good idea, go ahead and do it. It’s much easier to apologize than it is to get permission." — Grace Murray Hopper

“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” — Estée Lauder

"A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be." — First Lady Rosalynn Carter

“Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that so it goes on flying anyway.” — MaryKay Ash

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

“I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.” — Florence Nightingale